How many weeks are you AND...WHAT ARE YOU MEASURING???

[mommyNluv]

I am 34 weeks and I am measuring 36.

Now, My Dr. wants to do a ultrasound to "measure" the baby! Whatever! He said, "This baby is getting big!" :(

As long as he doesn't start talking induction, I'm ok.

[Citykid]

At my appt last week I was 31 weeks and 31 cm. Keep in mind those u/s size estimates can be waaaay off.

[txgal]

At my last appointment I was 35.4 weeks and measuring 34 weeks. My midwife says anything within 2-3 cm is normal. At 29 weeks I measured 32 weeks, (baby was laying right down the middle of my tummy) the next appointment at 33 weeks I measured 30 cm. (baby was off to one side that time) I hadn't shrunk, the baby was just in a different position that day. I don't think a difference of 2 cm is enought to warrant an ultrasound. At this point the ultrasound could be off by 10-20% anyway.

[KittyKat]

Oh my WORD.

The measurement that they do is CENTIMETERS.

This means you are 34 weeks, and your uterus measured LESS THAN one INCH bigger than "average" for 34 weeks.

This could be because of the position the baby was in, the amount of fluid in there, or just the way the doctor lay the tape across your belly. A different person might have measured you at 34 or 35... just based on their technique.

A two centimeter discrepancy between your belly and "textbook average" is NOT a big deal, not a legitimate reason to do an U/S, and NOT grounds for saying your baby is "big."

It sounds like this guy is fishing for a reason to induce/section you. Be VERY careful please! Ultrasound measurements can be off by TWO POUNDS +/-. It's not very accurate at guessing how big your baby will be, how much your pelvic ligaments will stretch, how well your baby's head will mold to slide through your pelvis... It's not like your pelvis is made of concrete, and your baby's head is a bowling ball! Your body was made for giving birth, and given HALF a chance to work as designed, it WILL work just fine.

Sorry the doctor is messing with your head.

Kathryn

[newbie_mary]

I'm 34 weeks, measuring 34. Before the doc measured me, she just took a look at my belly and said, "ooh, big baby!" Sorry, wrong. I just have a very short torso, so there's NO EXTRA ROOM. It totally takes up every inch of space.

Mary

[duckat]

On Monday, I was 35w2d and measuring 36 cm.

I could see concern if you were measuring like 4 cm big, but only 2?

[kate.first.babe]

I was 32 wees at last apt. and measuring 31 cm. The time beofre I was 28 weeks and measuring 29. I don't want a huge baby.

[FarmerCathy]

At my last appt. I was 33 weeks and measured 34 1/2. I want a small baby too, I don't have very big hips. That's one reason for having a homebirth so I can have gravity help get the baby out. :thumb

[aweynsayl]

36 measuring 37. At 32 I measured 34. Tell him to BACK OFF. I would NOT let someone do an US for a measurement dif that small. NO freaking way. I mean, hell, maybe you just drank a lot that morning or something. MWs fluff the baby up.... can they "unfluff" too???

[celestialdreamer]

I completely agree with what KittyKat said! That doctor is giving you a bunch of nonsense. I measured 2 weeks ahead with my dd the ENTIRE pregnancy even though we knew my dates were correct and she was born at a whopping 7lbs 2oz when she was a week OVERDUE :lol My giant baby (like my OB thought I was having) wore preemie clothes for a month! This pregnancy I was measuring 2 weeks ahead until he dropped, now I'm measuring right on at 36 weeks when I'm 36 weeks. I'd be on the watch for him trying to talk you into induction soon. Why else would he be talking about how 'big' your baby is and you needing an u/s?

[FreeSpiritMama]

I'm 35weeks and measuring 37weeks, I always measured ahead with DS too and both pregnancies I have been 100% bsure of my dates.

Don't let him pressure you ino the u/s if you dont want it, u/s are notoriously inaccurate for estimating weight anyway.

Good luck

[clynnr]

nak... 34 weeks measuring 36 also! MW not concerned in the least! ITA w/the pp's--not a reason for an ultrasound (just so the doc can scare you into thinking you're having a 12 pounder).

[JefsJen]

I will have to also agree with everyone else. It doesn't really matter what you measure for the most part. I was measuring at 30 cm for like a month. Found out the apprentice wasn't even putting the end of the tape on my pubic bone. It all depends on who does it.

But as for your question: I went to the midwife yesterday and I am 36.5 weeks and I think I probably (I say this because I tend to run this small and I didn't ask her yesterday what I measured) measured like 35. I tend to run like a cm smaller than the week that I am.

[JoshuasMommy]

I am 36 wks today and measuring about 38 wks. But we have big babies in my family. My ds was 8lbs 14oz. I am pretty sure this baby will be closer to 10lbs. My dr measured me wednesday at my appt and said this is gonna be a big girl. I was 9lbs 3oz and my baby brother was 10lbs 11oz. Tina~

[2+twins]

I'm 35 weeks & measuring 45, but I've got 2 in there. :D However, with my 2nd dd I consistently measured about 4 cm ahead. Like pp's have said, technique does matter as far as the number you'll get. I've read that it's acceptable to measure the fundus beginning at any point of the pubic bone, but dead center is the most often used point. The pubic bone is 2 inches high, so that leaves a whole lot of room for difference in measurements. I think one of my mw's must measure from the middle of my bone whereas the other measures from the top (as do I) b/c they always give me a 4cm difference btwn their 2 measurements.

[mystic2mom]

Hey, last week I was 34 weeks and measured 30 weeks, and my dr. didn't even blink. He said everythig was great.

Dawn

[giarose]

I just went to the m/w yesterday and at 37 wks I am measuring 30 cm. I measured small with ds too and now I'm measuring even smaller than last week because baby has dropped! But then again, I don't necessarily see the same m/w every week, so that could explain differences in measurement too.

[ThreeTimesAMama]

At last visit I was 37 wks and measured 37 cm. But just to concur, my doc said at one point the measurement can have several cm variance and everything is just fine. Where they get worried should be if its waaaay big for date or if its the same measurement week after week meaning baby is not growing.

[KKmama]

I tend to measure a cm or 2 "short" and have big babies.

I'd want to be clear what the u/s was about--e.g., checking fluid levels I'd be fine with, checking size of baby (to make sure "not too big" --> induction) I wouldn't be.

You might try to explore the "the baby is getting big" thing and see whether the dr. is making a guess/observation or getting "concerned"... My boys were big (~ 9 1/4 lbs, ~22" each), but it's never been a big deal; no one has *ever* said "too big" to me. (FWIW, I had an u/s at 32 wks to check my ovarian cysts, and they took a peek at the baby, thought she was 4.5 lbs... which puts her on track to be the same size as her brothers if she's born around the same time.... but no one said boo about it.)

[JenniferC]

The measurements are all just estimates really :). Does your Dr. palpate to see how big the baby actually is? My midwife does and is guessing around 7 lbs. right now, but will likely grow more. I measured 35 and I'm 36 weeks, 1 cm one way or the other is normally fine my mw said. And US sizing is often WAY off!

[CrunchyMomto3]

I'm 21 weeks and measuring 23 weeks. No biggie. With my 1st pregnancy I measured 6 weeks ahead towards the end!!

Jenny

[Tracyn]

At my last appointment I was 34w3d and measuring 34 weeks - so, right on, but seems like there can be a good variance. I went through my first PG diary (no diary this time, NO time this time around with a toddler!), and found that around 37 weeks the baby dropped and I started measuring 2 weeks behind.

As a PP mentioned, there are so many variables, and different measuring techniques.

Can you believe these babes will be here so soon!? Who will be first?? (not me, DS was 2 weeks late, so I'm just hoping this babe will be in APRIL - my due date is DH's bday, the 17th!)

Cheers

[mirandahope]

It depends on who measures me! One midwife consistently gets 2cm larger than the week I am on (ie. 37cm at 35 weeks) and another got 40cm at 34 weeks, which I wasn't. I had to go for another ultrasound, and baby was fine, fluid fine, etc. I carry some fat at the top, because I gained lots of weight early on because I had to eat every hour to hold down food! If someone doesn't know my body, they think I am huge! I am glad the other midwife knows me. I am done with ultrasounds, etc.

[jenny-g]

I'm 37 weeks today, and today, measured... 37 weeks. This was the same midwife who thought I was measuring ahead, and was adamant about getting an ultrasound at 35 weeks (which, I agreed on because I needed to know the position for various reasons). Anyway, everything is checking out to be Very Average, and that makes me Very Happy.

She mentioned "oh, the baby is giving you some mama beauty marks" -translation- ENOUGH STRETCH MARKS TO MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE ROADKILL. I said, "yup".

[aprilushka]

Last time I measured I was about five days behind. I was a couple days behind before that.

[nighten]

As of yesterday, I'm 36 weeks and measuring 36 cm. :thumb